Background

Over the summer of 2016, planning and progress continued on the H2 refueling system. Various parameters were evaluated to ensure that the fueling station followed all safety regulations. A large portion of the requirements for the systems completion were various safety code analyzations, which are vital in ensuring everyone’s safety and our ability to produce the fueling station without any hiccups.

The gas booster compressor, another important component to the functionality of the refueling station, was taken apart, cleaned and evaluated for use in the system. Further contributions to the station included electrical work which may be found in the poster shown (RIght) with the electrical diagram (bottom center) and the corresponding text. While the diagram is not the final draft for the electrical drawing, it serves as a simple representation of the wiring’s position in the container.

Our Team

Name: Dustin Wolfe

Major: Civil Engineering

Year: Junior

I first heard about Dr. Leachman and the work he was doing through an undergraduate research seminar. I got to have a tour of the lab and after that I knew that I wanted to work on the project. My assigned task was to sift through the given NFPA 2 Hydrogen Technologies Code and the Washington Administration Code in order to assess two possible sites for a hydrogen fueling station. This summer I had the privilege to work with individuals who were both helpful and professional. I am very thankful for this opportunity and I look forward to seeing the fueling station complete and in place so it can fuel a car.

Name: Sam Schaffer

Major: Electrical Engineering

Year: Junior

Going into this summer at the H2 labs I didn’t know what sort of environment to expect, or what I would get out of my time there. What I found was a focused and professional group of fellow engineers, eager make the H2 liquid refueling station a reality.

My part in the group was to design the wiring for the active fans and H2 sensors. I did this by regularly referencing the NFPA code, to ensure safety, and consulting with my team members/others on my design. I will continue working on the official autoCAD wiring designs into the school year, and will soon get them certified by the school for installation.

I have very much enjoyed working with the rest of the H2 team this summer. I feel like my experience here has improved my perception of professional engineering, and helped me have an interesting and productive summer. I’m very excited to see what will come out of the H2 labs in the future.

My contribution to the poster is shown in the electrical diagram (bottom center) and the corresponding text. While the diagram is not the final draft for the electrical drawing, it serves as a simple representation of the wiring’s position in the container.

Name: Jose Ramos

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Year: Junior

This summer I was able to conduct research with the H2-Flo team here at Washington State University. Before starting, I had a general idea of what to expect, but was shocked at the extent of detail the various elements of my project required, even the minor tasks. This experience has granted me the opportunity to work with an excellent team of individuals that share the common interest of constructing future innovations for sustainable energy.

My contributions to the H2-refueling station consisted largely of planning and creating a 3-dimensional model of a pre-cooler and its liquid transfer components leading to the Dewar’s flange. Communication with various manufacturers throughout the design process was a vital step in ensuring that every component was designed correctly, and was up to par with safety standards. Working in the Thermal Fluids Research Building has been immensely rewarding in regards to the skills and knowledge I gained and can apply to real-world engineering operations and I look forward to contributing the H2-refueling station in the future.

Name: Sage Pratt

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Year: Junior

Working on the H2-Flo system this summer was a very educational experience for me. Not only did I gain some practical experience working in Solidworks and doing work on the container, I gained some insight into how the development process works, including working with regulations and locating the specifications of various parts, and I learned a great deal about hydrogen technologies. I worked primarily on getting the gaseous hydrogen storage system installed in compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). I also did some work updating the CAD model. I am interested to see where this project goes in the future.

Name: Greg Wallace

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Year: Senior

I started working on the hydrogen refueling station project in Fall 2015 for a System Designs class taught by Jacob Leachman. I started with finding a compressor to fit our needs. Afterwards, I worked on designing, building, and testing a heat exchanger to work at cryogenic temperatures inside a liquid hydrogen container. I learned how to use EES, a software for solving equations, to model our heat exchanger. Over the summer, I worked on our gas booster compressors. I took them apart, cleaned them, and prepared them for operation. I learned how they work and how to use them effectively. These are being used for our nitrogen/hydrogen liquefier, which I am also working on. Through all these projects, I have gained huge amounts of real-world experience and enjoyed it. I would like to see the mechanics of the refueling station completed before I graduate.